This invention relates generally to covers for beverage containers and more specifically, to covers which permit the drinking of the contents of the container while the cover is still in place.
It is well known to provide covers for drinking containers to prevent the spillage of the contents of the container. Many prior art covers incorporate an opening in the top of the cover in order to allow drinking of the contents, either in the normal drinking fashion or by the insertion of a straw. Some covers utilize a releasable drinking flap in order to prevent the sloshing of the contents out of the containers. Other covers have an opening which is sealed by a depressable tab. When the tab is depressed, the opening is unsealed for either drinking the contents of the container or pouring the contents from the container.
Most of the prior art covers are designed to be opened permanently or to be manually resealed after opening. Some covers provide for the opening and closing of the cover by the application of pressure from the lips of the drinker. Most of the prior art covers are so complicated in construction that the price of manufacturing the cover is prohibitive for use with with typical throw-away containers, such as those used in the fast food industry. In addition, most of the covers are so awkward to use, that they have not been accepted by consumers.
Another major problem which is inherent in drinking covers is that the cover prevents the container from being tilted relative to the mouth due to the fact that the cover strikes the nose of the drinker. In order to drink from the container having such a cover, the head of the individual must be tilted backward which is very awkward and annoying for the individual. The biggest objection to the prior art drinking covers is that none of them effectively prevents leakage of the contents of the container through the opening of the cover. This is true even for covers which have a valve for the opening. The valve prevents major spillage of the contents, but does not prevent leakage of the contents when the container is tipped to an appreciable degree. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated by the present invention.
It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide a drinking cover which is leak-proof even when the container is inverted.
Another object of this invention is the provision of a drinking cover having a construction which allows clearance for the nose of the drinker, so that the container can be tipped about the lips of the drinker in a normal drinking fashion.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a drinking cover having a normally closed valve which is opened by application of lip pressure to the top of the cover.
It is another object of the instant invention to provide a drinking cover which is simple in construction, which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which is easy to use.
With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.